• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.215-222
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• 2010

The market size of engineered nanoparticles is rapidly increasing due to the fast application of nanotechnologies into different industries and consumer products. The development of new technology and materials has improved human's quality of life, but it also entails the possibility of exposure to new materials. In this study, we compared the distribution in the body by the inflow of silver nanoparticles having another diameter and shape at 1 h or 24 h after injection via the tail vein. And, we compared the cell composition and cytokine concentration in BAL fluid, and histopathological changes. As results, discharge of silver nanoparticles having small diameter and sphere shape was more rapid than that of big diameter or plate shape. It is estimated that the toxicity in liver and lung was proportional to accumulation level. The persistence of inflammation was also longer in mice treated with plate shape. Consequently, we suggest that the first choice of silver nanoparticles having small diameter and sphere shape in applying is desirable.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.293-301
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• 2009

This study was conducted to investigate the distribution of the concentrations of selected trace metals and inorganic anions in five types of drinking water samples (mineral spring water, well water, small community water, municipal tap water, and commercial mineral water) collected from Chuncheon, Gangwon-do in 2007. Forty four samples were analyzed for five metals and five anions using an atomic absorption spectrometer and an ion chromatograph, respectively. Arsenic (As) and nitrate (${NO_3}^-$) concentrations in some groundwater samples did not meet the future (10 ${\mu}g/L$) and current (44 mg/L) Korean drinking water standards, respectively. On the other hand, any municipal tap water samples, the sources of which were lake surface water, satisfied the Korean standards. Human health risk assessment results showed that arsenic in all types of water, especially groundwater including commercial mineral water, may pose both noncarcinogenic and carcinogenic effects on the residents. It is concluded that groundwater is not safe drinking water any longer and that a national survey and follow-up measures need to be taken.

• International Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.71-86
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• 2003

Over the past few decades, changes in patterns of behavior (e.g., diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity) have led to major changes in health status, characterized by increases in obesity, Type II diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers. This epidemiologic transition is largely the result of rapid increases in immigration to developed countries and rural-urban migration within developing countries, which is usually accompanied by environmental and lifestyle changes. In particular, adoption of “Western” dietary patterns, which tend to be high in fat and low in fruits and vegetables, is of concern since diet is a potent contributor to chronic disease risk. However, until recently, the process by which immigrants and rural-urban migrants adopt the dietary practices predominant in their new environments, known as dietary acculturation, has received very little research attention. Dietary acculturation is multidimensional, dynamic, and complex, and varies considerably depending on a variety of personal, cultural, and environmental characteristics. Therefore, to intervene successfully on the negative aspects of dietary acculturation, it is important to understand the process and identify factors that predispose and enable it to occur. The purpose of this article is to provide a practical model for understanding and investigating the effect of dietary acculturation on food and nutrient intake. Thus, this report 1) gives an overview of acculturation, 2) defines dietary acculturation and presents a model for how it occurs, 3) discusses measurement issues around dietary acculturation,4) reviews the literature on dietary acculturation in Korean Americans; 4) suggests a paradigm for acculturation research; and 5) offers some recommendations for future research in this area.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2008

Adverse health effects of inhaled smokes are associated with the amount of the particles deposited in human lung. Lung model is needed to simulate smoke deposition because of the hardness of the in vivo deposition experiment. However, it is hard to realize the successively decreasing bifurcations in the model. In this work, an experimental lung model was developed to simulate the smoke deposition in the lung. Instead of bifurcating airways, the lung model was made of packed beds of which size decreased downwards. The experimental results using this model showed good agreements with existing results for real lung in the deposition characteristics. The model could be applied to the studies of health risk assessment of the inhaled smoke particles generated by fire.

• Journal of Environmental Policy
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.127-154
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• 2006

It has been widely accepted that the environment is an important determining factor of human health. Appreciating the relationship between the environment and human health, Korean government has begun to deal with issues of environmental health. The government proclaimed the year of 2006 to be the first year of Environmental Health and established "The Environmental Health Plan for the next 10 Year". In order to achieve the goals in the plan, there are necessary considerations such as support systems for environment health related research, investigation, law, institution, administration, and so forth. This study suggests basic principles required to establish a legal regime of environmental health which is to implement the environmental health policies in Korea. Several cases of foreign legislation and policy relevant to environmental health are reviewed. Also, existing related legal system in Korea are analysed considering legal and institutional elements for establishing an effective environmental health policy. The main purpose of amending legal system related environmental health is to protect both public health and the soundness of ecosystem. To reach the goals effectively, the concept of 'environmental health' should be clearly established and presented. In addition, an advanced prevention system, including investigation and prevention of the cause of environmental diseases and risk assessment based on the precautionary principle, are substantial in the environmental health legislation. Also the environmental health law should guarantee public participation in decision making as well as the first consideration of susceptible or vulnerable population. This study concludes that the expected legislation related to environmental health should be a nonnative instrument not only for integrating each environmental protection scheme but also for establishing and implementing the policy.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.275-289
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• 2023

Since the implementation of the Living Modified Organisms (LMOs) Act in 2008, approximately 10 million tons of genetically modified corn, soybean, potato, canola, and other crops have been imported into South Korea. The import approval procedures have been completed for approximately 191 cases that include seven crops. Of these, approximately 90 cases, excluding crossbreeds of approved LMOs, were reviewed via consultation risk evaluation in four areas: human health, crop culture, natural ecology, and marine fishery environment. LMO developers in South Korea, who are major stakeholders in the import of LMO crops produced overseas, have raised concerns regarding procedural inefficiency in consultation reviews and the need of excessive reviews that are unsuitable for food-feed processing purposes. These procedures reflect the perspective of consultation agencies that deviate from the nature of risk assessment and demand specific supplementary data that do not reflect familiarity and substantial equilibrium. Based on frequent instances of unintentional environmental release of LMO crops imported into Korea, the ministries responsible for consultation insist on a review that considers the climate and natural environment of Korea. In addition, the ministries mandate that their reviews reflect the expertise of competent ministries and are based on risk assessment principles and methods in accordance with international guidelines. In this regard, considering that traits introduced into LMO crops involving familiar agricultural crops have been considered safe for more than two decades, we have suggested reasonable alternatives to several risk assessment items for agricultural LMOs. These alternatives can mitigate conflicts of interest among key stakeholders within the scope of the current LMO regulations.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.313-318
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• 2014

From 2008 to 2013, the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis were collected from a major area of mussel production (Changseon area), which is a designated shellfish-cultivating area for export, located on the southern coast of Korea. The samples were analyzed for mercury (Hg) using a direct Hg analyzer and for other metals, such as cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), chromium, copper, nickel, and zinc, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The concentrations and bioaccumulation of the heavy metals were determined, and a potential risk assessment was conducted to evaluate their hazards towards human consumption. The concentration and bioaccumulation ratio of Cd were the highest of the three hazardous metals (Cd, Pb, and Hg). The concentrations of hazardous metals in all samples were within the limits set by Korea and other countries. The estimated dietary intake (EDI) was compared to the provisional tolerable daily intake (PTDI) adopted by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The EDIs of all heavy metals tested for mussel samples ranged from 0.01 to 4.99% of the PTDI; the highest value was measured for As. The hazard index (HI) can be used to assess the risk of heavy metal consumption associated with contaminated food. The HI for all samples was far less than 1.0, which indicates that the mussels produced in the Changseon area do not represent an appreciable hazard to humans and are fit for consumption.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2012

BACKGROUND: Many edible mushrooms are known to accumulate high levels of heavy metals. This research was focused on health risk assessment to investigate the mushrooms in Korea, arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) contaminations in edible mushrooms in cultivated areas were investigated, and health risk was assessed through dietary intake of mushrooms. METHODS AND RESULTS: The heavy metals in mushrooms were analyzed by ICP/MS after acid digestion. Probabilistic health risk were estimated by Monte-Carlo simulation techniques. The average contents of As, Cd, Pb, and Hg were $0.035{\pm}0.042$ mg/kg, $0.017{\pm}0.020$ mg/kg, $0.043{\pm}0.013$ mg/kg, and $0.004{\pm}0.004$ mg/kg, respectively. The results showed that contents of Cd and Pb did not exceed maximum residual levels established by European Uion regulation (Cd 0.20 mg/kg and Pb 0.30 mg/kg). For health risk assessment, estimated intakes in all age populations did not exceed the provisional tolerable daily intake of As and Hg, provisional tolerable monthly intake of Cd, provisional tolerable weekly intake of Pb. The Hazard Index (HI) were ranged from $0.03{\times}10^{-4}{\sim}0.01{\times}10^{-3}$ for As, $0.02{\times}10^{-3}{\sim}0.81{\times}10^{-3}$ for Cd, $0.06{\times}10^{-3}{\sim}0.38{\times}10^{-3}$ for Pb, and $0.08{\times}10^{-4}{\sim}0.14{\times}10^{-3}$ for Hg at general population. CONCLUSION: The HI from the ratio analysis between daily exposure and safety level values was less than 1.0. This results demonstrated that human exposure to heavy metals through dietary intake of mushrooms might not cause adverse effect.

• 한국무역상무학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.06a
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• pp.45-72
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• 2006

The Equator Principles are a set of voluntary environmental and social guidelines for ethical project finance. These principles commit banks and other signatories to not finance projects that fail to meet these guidelines. The principles were conceived in 2002 on an initiative of the International Finance Corporation and launched in 2003. Since then, dozens of major banks have adopted the Principles, and with these banks among them accounting for more than three quarters of all project loan market volume the Principles have become the de facto standard for all banks and investors on how to deal with potential social and environmental effects of projects to be financed. While regarding the Principles an important initiative, NGOs have criticised the Principles for not producing real changes in financing activities and for allowing projects to go through that should have been screened out by the Principles, such as the Sakhalin-II oil and gas project in Russia. In early 2006, a process of revision of the principles was begun. The Equator Principles state that endorsing banks will only provide loans directly to projects under the following circumstances: - The risk of the project is categorized in accordance with internal guidelines based upon the environmental and social screening criteria of the International Finance Corporation (IFC). - For all medium or high risk projects (Category A and B projects), sponsors complete an Environmental Assessment, the preparation of which must meet certain requirements and satisfactorily address key environmental and social issues. - The Environmental Assessment report addresses baseline environmental and social conditions, requirements under host country laws and regulations, applicable international treaties and agreements, sustainable development and use of renewable natural resources, protection of human health, cultural properties, and biodiversity, including endangered species and sensitive ecosystems, use of dangerous substances, major hazards, occupational health and safety, fire prevention and life safety, socio-economic impacts, land acquisition and land use, involuntary resettlement, impacts on indigenous peoples and communities, cumulative impacts of existing projects, the proposed project, and anticipated future projects, participation of affected parties in the design, review and implementation of the project, consideration of feasible environmentally and socially preferable alternatives, efficient production, delivery and use of energy, pollution prevention and waste minimization, pollution controls (liquid effluents and air emissions) and solid and chemical waste management. - Based on the Environmental Assessment, Equator banks then make agreements with their clients on how they mitigate, monitor and manage those risks through an 'Environmental Management Plan'. Compliance with the plan is required in the covenant. If the borrower doesn't comply with the agreed terms, the bank will take corrective action, which if unsuccessful, could ultimately result in the bank canceling the loan and demanding immediate repayment. - For risky projects, the borrower consults with stakeholders (NGO's and project affected groups) and provides them with information on the risks of the project. - If necessary, an expert is consulted. The Principles only apply to projects over 50 million US dollars, which, according to the Equator Principles website, represent 97% of the total market. In early 2006, the financial institutions behind the Principles launched stakeholder consultations and negotiations aimed at revising the principles. The draft revised principles were met with criticism from NGO stakeholders, who in a joint position paper argued that the draft fails by ignoring the most serious critiques of the principles: a lack of consistent and rigorous implementation.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.810-820
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• 2012

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) contents in marine sediment and edible fish (4 species) from the estuary near the Yongho wharf in Busan were determined to assess their presence and their potential health risk to the local population through fish consumption was also assessed. Levels of ${\Sigma}PCBs$ and ${\Sigma}DDTs$ in marine sediment were 3.22~197.65 and 1.77~20.27 ng/g dw, respectively. HCHs and endosulfan sulfate concentrations in bottom sediment were 1.42~6.08, 0.56~13.89 ng/g dw, respectively. The bottom sediment in the offshore of the Yongho wharf may be characterized as semi-polluted status with potential adverse marine biological effects in terms of sediment quality guidelines of US NOAA. The mean concentrations of ${\Sigma}PCBs$ in the tissues of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), Korean rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii), file fish (Stephanolepis cirrhifer) and abbysal searobin (Lepidotrigla abyssalis) were 67.37, 10.20, 48.26, 22.81 ng/g lw, respectively. DDTs and HCHs were also detected in all fish samples. Lifetime cancer risk and target hazard quotient to local residents due to those fish consumption were found to pose negligible cancer and non-cancer risk.